ABSTRACT
China is now a major factor in India's strategic aspirations in the Indian Ocean. India's ambitions to dominate the Indian Ocean are coming into direct conflict with China's interests, particularly its concerns to ensure the unobstructed flow of energy across the ocean. Many see the potential for a security dilemma arising between them as ‘defensive’ moves taken by each are seen by the other as threatening its security. While the relationship in the Indian Ocean is only a subset of a broader strategic relationship, it is the area in which China is most vulnerable. Some believe that it is in India's interests to maintain China's strategic vulnerability in the Indian Ocean, as a potential bargaining chip for other areas of rivalry.
